There are innumerable situations in which it is necessary to automatically properly position an object in two or three dimensions. This need is common in the industrial world, in which machines are used to move objects in a reliable, repeatable manner. One example described in more detail below is the grinding of bearing races. Millions of bearing races are ground each year, using very carefully controlled grinding machines. Such machines need to move the grinding tool into and out of the grinding location (termed the “Z” direction), and toward and away from the bearing race (termed the “X” direction). They must also control the angular position of the grinding wheel relative to the race.
Bearing grinding machines commonly accomplish Z and X-axis motion with a pair of orthogonally-oriented precision slide mechanisms. These mechanisms are large, heavy and expensive to manufacture and repair. As a consequence, there is the need for reliable, repeatable, precision and less expensive devices that accomplish two or three-axis motion of an object that can be coupled to the device.